Free tool
Freelance hourly rate calculator
Work out the hourly rate you need to charge to earn what you want, once your costs and unbillable time are counted.
What you want to take home, before tax
Software, equipment, insurance, accounting
Hours you can charge clients for, not hours worked
Holidays, sick days and quiet weeks
Your minimum hourly rate
$57.39
- Billable hours in a year
- 1,150
- Income plus costs
- $66,000.00
- Day rate at this rate
- $286.96
How the calculator works
It adds the income you want to take home in a year to what your business costs to run, then divides by the hours you can actually bill.
Billable hours are the hours you bill each week times the weeks you work in a year. Admin, sales and holidays don't count, which is why the rate is higher than a salary divided by 2,080 hours.
Treat the result as a floor: it's the least you can charge to hit your target, before tax and before any profit on top.
Charge the rate, then bill every hour of it
Save each client's hourly rate in Tristiks Grow, track time against their projects, and see what your hours earned before you invoice them.
See time trackingFAQ
Questions, answered
Still have questions? Talk to our team.
How do I calculate my freelance hourly rate?
Add the income you want in a year to your yearly business costs, then divide by the hours you can bill in a year: billable hours per week times the weeks you work.
How many hours a week can a freelancer bill?
Fewer than you work. Admin, sales, invoicing and learning take time you can't bill, so many freelancers plan on billing well under 40 hours a week. Use your own tracked hours for the most accurate number.
Does the result include tax?
No. Enter the income you want before tax if you want the rate to cover tax too, and check with an accountant for your situation.
Is this calculator free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Track time and get paid with Tristiks Grow
Start a free 14-day trial with no credit card, or book a demo to see time tracking, invoicing and payments together.